Introduce our extremely distinguished panel of american lincoln scholars. Lincolns speeches and the american idea. Naomi b lynn, the chair of lincoln studies at the university of springfield. The author of several books, including the inner world of abraham pleitgen, and the two volume american Abraham Lincoln light. As well as his new book, faith black mens president , Abraham Lincoln and the pursuit of racial equality. Professor of law, chair of the society of and frontal rector of the program on jewish and israeli law at harvard university. He is the author of nine books, including James Madison and his latest book, which we discussed tonight, a broken constitution, lincoln and the founding of america. Diana shelled is professor of Political Science and senior fellow at the American Enterprise institute. She publishes on American History. She is the author of several books, including and her new book is his greatest speeches, how lincoln moved the nation. Welcome noah feldman and di
Television companies, supports cspan 2 as a public service. For the next salvo weeks here on American History tv, we will be looking back at speeches that defined a presidency. You will hear americas chief executives make their case to the American Public and to international audiences. George washing tons farewell address in 1796, to Barack Obamas 2015 South Carolina speech a mother emmanuel church. We will start this week with george washington. His famous 1796 farewell address was actually a public letter announcing his retirement. It was first read aloud on the senate floor during the civil war. And its become an annual tradition in that legislative body since 1896. We will hear now from a republican and democrat reading George Washingtons 1796 farewell address. Friends and citizens the period for a new election of a citizen to administer the executive government of the United States being not far distant, and the time actually arrived when your thoughts must be employed in designa
Betsy, and her father. [applause] i would like to begin with a brief history lesson. It is only appropriate that we find ourselves at a residential library. Our constitution explicitly states the oath of office for the president s of the United States. But for other officers of the government, including the Vice President , the constitution offers no instruction whatsoever about the oath required. Well, the First Congress stated that only senators could administer the oath to the Vice President. A few months later, they change their mind giving judges that ability. The oath itself has changed many times over the years. The oath in use today for the Vice President has been around since 1884. You will be interested to know that our guest tonight took the oath as Vice President , with his left hand resting on none other than president reagans own bible. The very bible used when he took the oath of office in 1981, and four years later, in 1985. The oath is brief. Here it is. I do solemnly
Good evening. Im executive director of the John F Kennedy library foundation. And on behalf of my library and foundation, im delighted to welcome all of you who are watching online as well as those of you who are in person with us today. I would also like to acknowledge the generous support of our underwriters of the kennedy forums lead sponsors, bank of america and the lowell institute, and our media sponsor, the boston. And many thanks. The White House Correspondents association. All of your partnership and cooperation to make tonights program a reality we look forward to robust question and answer period tonight. If youre joining us online, youll see full instructions on screen for submitting your questions via email or comments on our youtube page during the program. When the q a starts, we will invite those of you who are joining us in person today, today to proceed to the microphones that are in the aisles to ask your questions. It is fitting that are hosting tonights conversatio
Betsy, and her father. [applause] i would like to begin with a brief history lesson. It is only appropriate that we find ourselves at a residential library. Our constitution explicitly states the oath of office for the president s of the United States. But for other officers of the government, including the Vice President , the constitution offers no instruction whatsoever about the oath required. Well, the First Congress stated that only senators could administer the oath to the Vice President. A few months later, they change their mind giving judges that ability. The oath itself has changed many times over the years. The oath in use today for the Vice President has been around since 1884. You will be interested to know that our guest tonight took the oath as Vice President , with his left hand resting on none other than president reagans own bible. The very bible used when he took the oath of office in 1981, and four years later, in 1985. The oath is brief. Here it is. I do solemnly